Kaplan Collection

Kaplan Collection

All MCW members should have received an email from Gary Guenther – please notify him if you plan to attend.

We are privileged to be invited to hold our August 10, 2017 Meeting at the home of one of our Members, Jerry Kaplan, and his lovely wife, Deena. Jerry and Deena have an incredible collection of wood art (and other fine and craft arts) that is a joy to behold. Touring their collections is the Activity for the evening. Spouses and partners are welcome and encouraged to attend. After seeing this, they’ll understand your passion all the better.

The August Meeting is NOT at the Woodworkers Club. If you go there, please say ‘hi’ to Amy before you leave. 🙂

We recommend that you plan to arrive at 6:45 p.m. (location and parking instructions have been provided by email and will be repeated), and we will depart no later than 9:00 p.m. When you arrive, please group together, well inside the entrance. Please wear your name tags. Stickies will be provided for those needing them. No large bags, please. We don’t want to knock anything over. At 7:00 p.m., as a group, we will have a brief welcome and instructions from Jerry & Deena, and introductions of our guests. If you bring a guest, please be prepared to introduce them to the group, and they will be welcome to say a few words about their interests.

Note one change of plans from the first email announcement – to make more time for enjoying the collection, there will NOT be a Show Tell & Ask or a Business Meeting. Do not bring anything with you. This evening’s raison d’être will be centered on sharing the enjoyment of the collection and camaraderie (and cookies). Jerry will lead informal guided tours around the house for small groups, and you will also be free to browse on your own. WE say “no touching without first asking for help, please.” Deena will be sitting comfortably and looking forward to having lots of people join her to chat with. Note that Jerry has an excellent wood shop downstairs, with a Robust Sweet Sixteen lathe and lots of tools that the turners will not want to miss. Light refreshments will be served in the kitchen – coffee and tea and petit desserts. Photography is permitted and encouraged. Please plan to share some with Gary for the album.

The Kaplans are Patrons of the James Renwick Alliance (JRA), members of the Collectors of Wood Art society, and are very supportive of the arts and crafts. They have donated a number of pieces to the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. They received the prestigious “One-of-a-Kind Award” for 2014 from the JRA, presented for “significant contributions to the art and craft communities.” Their collections have been featured in “Home & Design” magazine.

We have done this previously in 2008, 2010, and 2014. Speaking of photography, you can see the albums here:May 2008

To repeat: The August Meeting WILL NOT BE HELD AT THE WOODWORKERS CLUB. If you go there, you will be disappointed. Please mark your calendars appropriately.

If you haven’t been here before, it’s simply a MUST. Even if you’ve been there before, you’ll want to come to this Meeting for camaraderie and to do it again because they have wonderful new works to show, and there is so much to see you could spend all your time in one room, and, believe me, they have many more than one! I can’t wait to see the new hollow form from Paul Fennel, who is one of my favorites. Wood art is certainly a highlight, but other craft forms are well represented, as well. If you’re into tea pots, for example, Deena has some beauties. You will also be welcome to tour Jerry’s shop, where he has a Robust Sweet Sixteen lathe that you will surely (don’t call me Shirley!) want to take a close look at.

There will be refreshments and desserts. As a result, we ask that you kindly RSVP to Gary Guenther (gary.c.guenther@gmail.com), so they have a reasonable count for service.